A heat pump hot water cylinder is an insulated tank that stores hot water heated by the heat pump, with a much larger internal coil than a cylinder designed for a boiler. Heat pumps heat water to a lower temperature than boilers, typically around 45–55°C, so a bigger coil is needed to pass heat into the stored water quickly. A standard boiler cylinder would heat slowly and make the heat pump work harder than it should.
Older houses in Lincolnshire with loft tanks can usually have them removed when an unvented cylinder is fitted. Cylinder sizes for Lincolnshire homes are based on the people living there and the bathrooms in daily use. Discharge pipe routes are planned at the survey so a Lincolnshire cylinder can drain safely to the outside.
Who it suits
- Homes replacing a combi boiler that need space found for a cylinder
- Households with older vented cylinders and loft tanks who want mains-pressure showers
- Every air-to-water heat pump installation, whatever the existing boiler
- Larger families or homes with two or more bathrooms
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
In England the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (£9,000 if it replaces oil or LPG, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027), and since 28 April 2026 a valid EPC is no longer needed. The grant is applied for by the MCS-certified installer and shown as a deduction on your quote.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Heat pump hot water cylinders prices in Lincolnshire
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in Lincolnshire, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in Lincolnshire can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| Work | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Heat pump hot water cylinder (supplied and fitted) | £1,200–£2,200 |
Supplied and fitted, inc VAT. Included in every full system price.
Towns we cover in Lincolnshire
We cover 14 towns in Lincolnshire for heat pump hot water cylinders. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | LN6 | Gainsborough | 7 h 31 min |
| Grimsby | DN32 | Cleethorpes | 7 h 27 min |
| Scunthorpe | DN16 | Brough | 7 h 27 min |
| Boston | PE21 | Spalding | 7 h 34 min |
| Grantham | NG31 | Sleaford | 7 h 35 min |
| Cleethorpes | DN35 | Grimsby | 7 h 27 min |
| Spalding | PE11 | Bourne | 7 h 36 min |
| Skegness | PE25 | Boston | 7 h 32 min |
| Stamford | PE9 | Bourne | 7 h 37 min |
| Gainsborough | DN21 | Retford | 7 h 29 min |
| Louth | LN11 | Horncastle | 7 h 29 min |
| Sleaford | NG34 | Grantham | 7 h 34 min |
| Bourne | PE10 | Stamford | 7 h 36 min |
| Horncastle | LN9 | Louth | 7 h 31 min |
Heat pump hot water cylinders questions
Does a heat pump cylinder need servicing?
Yes. An unvented cylinder's safety devices should be checked every year, including the relief valves, the expansion vessel charge and the discharge pipework. This is normally done as part of the annual heat pump service, and it is often a condition of the cylinder manufacturer's warranty. Keep the cylinder paperwork with your heat pump handover documents.
I have a combi boiler. Where will the cylinder go?
Moving from a combi to a heat pump means finding space for a cylinder, usually somewhere around 600 mm square and up to about 2 m tall. Common choices are a bedroom or landing cupboard, a utility room, under the stairs or an integral garage. The surveyor looks at your layout and suggests options, including slimline models where space is tight.
How much does a heat pump cylinder cost?
A heat pump hot water cylinder has a guide price of £1,200–£2,200, installed and including VAT. In a full heat pump installation the cylinder is already included in the system guide price, so this figure mainly applies where a cylinder is replaced on its own. Capacity, coil design and the pipework needed affect where your price sits.
Will I run out of hot water with a heat pump?
Not if the cylinder is sized to how your household uses hot water. Unlike a combi, hot water is stored, so very heavy use, such as several long showers back to back, can use up the stored volume before it reheats. Sizing for your busiest period, and timing reheats sensibly, avoids this for most homes.